Heart of A Quincy
by Satoshistar7
Summary: When Szayel captures Uryuu for his twisted experiments, who will save him? Death and cruelty lay side by side, but will the touch of an angel defeat the past? Warning: character death is possible.
1. Broken bone and arrow

Chapter 1

Hi! This is my first fan fiction ever, so please if you have a critique take it easy and make sure its constructive. I live for good reviews, so please review! Also I do not own any Bleach characters or the anime.

Chapter 1

Uryuu's cool cobalt eyes flashed menacingly at the smirking pink-haired evil scientist, Szayel Aporro Grantz

"Let. Her. Go." The enraged Quincy snarled as Szayel held the beaten and bloodied form of Rukia Kuchiki.

"I'm afraid I cannot let such a valuable specimen go to waste, even if the subject is dead." Without letting his pitiless yellow eyes leave the furious Quincy archer, he ruthlessly bent back the corpse's arm until a sickening snap was heard across the room.

"You, bastard!" Renji roared as he lay helplessly on the ground unable to move due to the effects of Aporro's manipulative voodoo of the body.

"Hmph. I will be more than happy to relinquish this specimen in exchange for _you…_my dear Quincy." laughed the demented cotton candy haired freak.

Uryuu's teeth were grinding in anger as another snap of a shattered limb echoed once more. _I'm sorry Ichigo. I can't let this go on._

"Now…what will it be? You or her?" sneered Szayel.

"DON'T DO IT!" yelled Renji, his voice cracking at his refusal to save Rukia's body from the inevitable desecration of Szayel's experiments. The soft ring of metal against stone sounded like the death toll of a church bell as Uryu dropped his Steeler sword. Suddenly, he disappeared and within a blink of an eye, Rukia's body vanished only to appear in Renji's bloody arms. Uryuu stepped away from the soul reapers and turned towards Szayel .

"Fine. You can take me now," the Quincy said now quite calmly with his face pale and set.

"Why?" Renji cried as Uryuu walked toward the reaching arms of his future tormentor.

"Why are you doing this?"

"No one deserves to die or to have their bodies torn apart without caring for the dignity of the soul." Uryuu said simply, before he was cruelly stabbed in the back with a painful sedative from the evil and edible henchmen of Szayel.

I will try to update on a regular baisis, but be warned. Sometimes inspiration dies down for awhile until I add fuel on the fire ! Here is a cookie for all that have reviewed!


	2. Shards of the Past

In episode 160 it explains the death of Rukia Kuchiki, but I will try to incorporate in this chapter. Here's macadamia-nut(my favorite)cookies for all those that have reviewed! Thank-you for catching my spelling error ArrowSphere! I do not own Bleach or its characters.

Chapter 2

"_You have not talent,"__Ryūken Ishida uttered coldly to the crying child lying on the ground before him. Blood flowed down from Uryuu's trembling knees. Three days after the brutal demise of his grandfather, Soken Ishida, seven-year old Uryuu Ishida had been plagued with a slow and murderous hatred towards his failure to protect his Sensei and the hollows that caused his death. It became too much to bear and when midnight desended on the Ishida household the bespectacled boy crept quietly into his father's room. His heart thudded rapidly as he carefully lifted the gleaming silver Quincy cross from his father's bedside. Swiftly Uryuu exited the bedroom completely unaware of the single eye that stared at his retreating form. With a cat-like grace he descended the stairs and ran into the dreary night. The fresh pricks of falling rain heightened the child's senses as he lifted the cross above his head. "By the Pride of a Quincy, I will avenge my Grandfather!" screamed the distraught Quincy child. The cross blazed white in his shaking hand and suddenly he was surrounded by hollows…_

Szayel watched the slumbering Quincy in his clear plastic capsule in Szayel's demented laboratory with fascination and a terrible hunger. "This is wonderful." The cruel scientist purred as he peered into Uryuu's dreams by the use of fiendish electrodes attached to the boy's temples which was connected to a large screen showing Uryuu's private nightmare for the world to see. _Soon you will truly be mine,"_ Aporro thought as he eagerly waited for his subject's wounds to heal. He needed a live and healthy specimen before he could carry out more physical and elaborate experiments upon him. It was purely by chance that he had stumbled across the body of Rukia Kuchiki after her defying duel against espada number nine, Aaroniero. Until then, Szayel could only observe and analyze the Quincy's mind and memories to gain knowledge of the subject's weak points and to exploit them fully to his advantage. Settling back down, Szayel continued to watch…

_The leering skull faces of the hollows surrounded the tiny seven-year old in the abandoned park of_ _Karakura__ town, their lustful cries piercing the night. "How delicious," one sighed, red tipped spikes prodding from one hollow's gruesome face. "He is a banquet of spiritual energy," hissed another, a raptor- like head with a mighty crack running down it's face. Uryuu called upon all the power he could in his slender frame to summon the silver bow, but the raptor swooped down and violently slashed at Uryuu. _

"How pathetic." Szayel sneered cruelly_. _

_The child shrieked in agony and blood poured from his knees as he collapsed. "I will end you!" Taking careful aim, Uryuu released the singled Quincy arrow from his father's stolen bow. The raptor screamed and black blood gushed from its side. "You should have finished me off when you had the chance, Quincy!" The word was spat like a vile curse, as the wounded hollow lunged once more, letting out its chilling blood lust cry. The bow vanished from Uryuu's hands and he watched death bearing swiftly towards him his silver glasses reflecting the hollow's gaping maw. Suddenly, a brilliant flash lit the clearing with the same intensity as lightening. When the flash vanished the raptor-hollow was gone with only the scorched blackened ground to prove its existence. The other hollows let out enraged roars as a tall man with shimmering glasses and in pure white apparel walked calmly in their mist. With clean and ruthless efficiency, he dispatched the five remaining hollows one by one by tossing dull metal tubes for each. "Sacred Bite," Ryūken uttered quietly. Once more the flashes lit the clearing, indicating the hollows demise. Uryuu watched his father with awe, but Ryūken suddenly ripped the Quincy cross from his son's shaking hands with such ferocity that Uryuu pushed himself backwards along the ground to escape his father's wrath. The child's large blue eyes widened at the sheer look of utter disgust Ryūken had bestowed upon him. Tears began to roll silently down the child's cheeks as the father said, "You have no talent…" _

"How right he is my precious Quincy. How right he is." Uryuu moaned softly in his chemically induced sleep, but made no response to Aporro's hurtful taunts. The plastic capsule suddenly glowed to an eerie green and Szayel smiled widely. _At last I can finally work upon you and I will enjoy every bit of your pain..._


	3. Fear Tears and Resolution Resurrection

Chapter 3

Here's my sister's famous chocolate chip cowboy cookies for all that keep reviewing! I do not own Bleach or its characters

"Rukia, Rukia, Rukia…" Renji muttered over and over again as her body lay lifelessly in his arms. Dried blood traced streams from her forehead, her eyes and her lips and as Renji cradled her broken form, memories surged forth to claim his conscious.

_Rukia the street child running through the markets of_ _Rukonga__ with Renji hot on her heels taunting him to beat her in tag. Rukia, clutching desperately on Renji's robe as he carried her swiftly from the execution grounds of __Seireite__. Rukia and Renji, smacking Ichigo for leaving them behind under the false pretense that they would not be able to join in the rescue of Inoue Orihime from the strong hold of Las Noches. _

"RUKIA!!" Renji screamed in contorted anguish and with every last bit of strength he fought the weakness of his body and rose up with her corpse clutched against him. A single tear rolled down the fierce features of Renji's face as he gazed down upon her. Suddenly, a glowing pink petal floated delicately past Renji's bowed head. Renji's breath caught in his throat as a tremendous amount of spiritual pressure came cascading all around him, cracking the walls of Szayel's spiritual restriction chamber.

"Byakuya…"

Inoue, Chad and Ichigo all lifted their heads at the exact same time when Rukia's spiritual energy flared for a moment and then went out.

"NO!!"

"Please no…"

"…"

"Inoue! We have to go!" Ichigo called out as she held her glowing healing hands over him. Tears streamed down her trembling face, but she shook her head.

"I need to heal you Kurosaki. If I don't…We won't be able to save anyone…." Orihime's voice cracked as she continued to bathe Ichigo in her soft golden light.

Carefully she avoided looking at the cracked hollow mask beside her and concentrated instead on the warm weight of Nel Tu's head slumbering on her lap. She didn't want to think about the terror. The monster that Ichigo had unleashed upon Grimmjaw with such ruthless intensity. The hollow within…Hichigo. _Grimmjaw cackled in sickening glee as Ichigo appeared in front of Orihime with his creepy hollow mask hiding his familiar features. "That's more like it!" Grimmjaw laughed, his sharp fangs glittering in the artificial sunlight of the desert chamber. Raising his right arm he hurled a crackling cero at Ichigo for the umpteenth time. Ichigo dodged it and with a frightening laugh, came hurling towards him. Grimmjaw dove at him with another cero, the black blade came flying…The desert shook from their collision and Orihime shielded Nel Tu from the ferocious glare of the explosion. When the sand settled and the glare faded, the victor of this bloody battle became all too clear. Grimmjaw lay gasping pathetically with Ichigo's __zanpakutō buried through his bleeding throat. "Who… are… you?" the dying Espada choked out on his very last breath. The hollow masked Shinigami tore his blade ruthlessly from his enemy's flesh. "I am the king!" The hollow within announced triumphantly... _

"I've should have known it wasn't him," Orihime whispered softly to herself.

_The light died in Grimmjaw's eyes and Ichigo turned towards the pale Orihime and the trembling Nel Tu. "Hmph. So this is the damsel in distress that my former king is fighting for," Ichigo sneered in an unfamiliar grating voice which bordered on the edge of insanity. Suddenly, Orihime gasped "Ichigo, your hands are turning white!" Yellow eyes stared amusedly in Inoue's own frightened gray ones. "Who says I am Ichigo-sama…" Nel began to screech. "Run! RRRRRUUUUNNN Orihime-channnn!!" she wailed as the hollow of their former friend began to slowly stalk towards them. The mask began to crack and fall away in sharp thin shards, but the face beneath the mask was not Ichigo's..._

At this Orihime closed her eyes, trying to block out the terrifying image, but to no avail. _His face and hair were the ghostly white of a skull, now matching his bleached white robes. He looked like a photo negative of Ichigo except the eyes. The whites were as black as night with gleaming yellow rings marking the pupils and they burned with a craving for blood. "Please run. Run!" wept Nel as she pushed urgently against Orihime. "Little pests annoy me," grinned Hichgo, and lifting a pale hand, he sent an orb of sparking yellow energy at Nel. The orb smacked the arrancar child in the back and she collasped in Orihime's arms. Inoue gasped and quickly checked her vitals. "She is taking a nap,"Hichigo sneered as he towered over the kneeling Orihime. A hand shot down and grabbed her chin, forcing Orihime to look up into his malevolent face "You will never be his Queen you pathetic bitch! Though I do admit…" Here he glanced pointedly at her chest. "You do have the assets to send any man running in the heat." Inoue blushed at his vulgar language and the close proximity of his intimidating visage. "You almost got my king killed..." Hichigo's pale hands moved slowly down to her neck. "Please come back Ichigo," Inoue begged as she suddenly seized his wrists. Yanking his hands away Hichigo smirked. "Don't worry. My king is about to return, but I can play with your happy fantasies now!" Swiftly he seized the back of her head with the right hand and wrapped a powerful left arm around her waist drawing her close. "Ichi…"Orihime was suddenly cut off as he bent her back into a deep and breathless kiss. His lips were hard and icy, but her mouth was burning from the contact. It was not sweet and gentle, but bitter and cruel. Inoue desperately tried to push him away, but his grasp tightened possessively. "Kurosaki..."she thought frantically as darkness began to creep into the edge of her vision. He was suffocating her with his lips locked against hers. Suddenly she felt his mouth become soft and warm before it immediately pulled away. Ichigo's sorrowful brown eyes gazed into her own before he dropped face down from the extent of his injuries._

"Inoue," Ichigo's voice broke into her thoughts and she shook her head.

"What…"

"It's Uryuu…" Ichigo's voice trailed off as he concentrated on the Quincy's spiritual aura. Now Inoue could feel it too, dimming and dying slowly. Suddenly the last of Ichigo's injuries vanished and Inoue stood cradling Nel.

"I'm going to save Rukia! You need to save Uryuu…"

Ichigo looked at Orihime in surprise. She had never taken charge like this. Something had change.

"Inoue, I'm not going to let you be taken from us again! I'm coming with you!" Ichigo declared.

"I can defend myself and I can still sense her even if she is...You need her to live Kurosaki!" Orihime stated firmly, though her tears continued to coarse down her face. When Ichigo hesitated, Inoue cried "We don't have time! Please save him!"

Quickly Ichigo lifted Nel from Inoue and gently draped her on his back.

"We will talk when all of this is over," Ichigo said encouragingly before disappearing in a blur of shunpo.

Inoue stared after him for a moment, her eyes now aged with pain and sorrow, the grim knowledge of death which stole away her innocence, but had given her the strength to survive. Gripping on her renewed resolve, Inoue concentrated on the ghostly space where Rukia's spirit had burned once and ran swiftly across the desert floor.


	4. Friends first, Family second

I am struck by inspiration once more

I am struck by inspiration once more. I'm sorry that my chapters are not long, but please bear with it until I get better at typing. I don't own Bleach or its characters (sob). Girl Scout caramel delight cookies for all that review!!

Chapter 4

"What are you doing?" the raven-haired captain of the 6th squad inquired calmly.

The amount of spiritual energy emitting from him and the thousands of the deadly shimmering petals swirling around contrasted vividly against Byakuya Kuchiki's emotionless visage. Renji swallowed hard as he held the sister of Captain Kuchiki protectively against his chest.

"I'm sorry, Captain." Bowing his head Renji said humbly, "My life is yours. Do what you want with it."

Byakuya stepped closer, his steel gray eyes locked upon his kneeling lieutenant as he carefully lifted Rukia from Renji's trembling arms.

"She knew the consequences in attempting such a futile mission," Byakuya issued coldly. "Now I ask you again. What are you doing? Why are you not running?" Byakuya's gaze was hard and accusatory. As if Renji had forgotten something extremely vital. Suddenly, the spiky haired lieutenant turned dead white from the shocking realization. Uryuu had been taken by the enemy and he, Renji Abarai, did not lift even a finger to save his comrade.

"Baka…baka…BAKA!" Renji roared in anger at his own stupidity and his failure to act. Rising quickly, Renji turned to run, but he had barely taken three steps before his legs gave out and he collapsed once more. Byakuya looked down at the pitiful crumpled form of his lieutenant and sighed. Gently he place his sister down and called upon a Kido spell of healing and energy revival. Laying a pale hand upon Renji's back, the spell flowed into him. A slow smile spread across Renji's battered face as he felt his spiritual wellspring of energy increase by a tenfold. The smile was as friendly as a shark that sensed blood in the water and springing up; Renji let loose a wild battle cry and tore off in the direction of his prey and his captured comrade. _Hang in there, Uryuu! _

Byakuya picked up the incapacitated body of his sister before disappearing in swift small shunpo steps towards another's burning spiritual aura.

"Sensei," Uryuu whispered as his beloved grandfather appeared right before him.

"Uryuu," the elder Quincy murmured tenderly and warmly he embraced his grandchild.

"Please, forgive me. I've failed you Sensi."

"No. You have never failed me and you never will if you wake up now. Uryuu, wake up."

"I don't want to leave you!" the raven-haired child whimpered as he held on to Soken.

"You must return to protect…"

Uryuu's piercing blue eyes opened slowly, now dulled by the heavy sleeping drugs that Szayel used upon him. The harsh white lab lights stabbed into his vision which was blurred by the absence of his glasses.

"Ah our subject awakens…Aizen-sama."

The Quincy swiftly sprung from the lab table, ripping the electrodes from his head. Summoning his bow, now blazing with renewed spirit power, Uryuu neatly shot Szayel and Aizen through their black hearts before continuing on his merry way. That was the possible scenario that could have occurred had the Quincy been able to move. Uryuu's throat tightened as he made the unhappy discovery that he could not move a single inch. His body had become a prison of bone and flesh. All that his bonds would allow to do was to breathe, blink, and speak as Uryuu later discovered. Light and ominous footsteps headed towards the lab table that the bespectacled boy lay limply upon, desiring, but being unable to even twitch to defend himself.

"He is strong and has so much potential…" a clear and pleasant voice spoke crisply.

The familiar and comforting weight of his glasses rested once again on his face. There was Szayel smirking cruelly down at him and to his right was a tall man with chestnut hair swept to one side and smiling brown eyes. He was handsome and appeared easy going…

"Please, may I inquire what your name is my young Quincy?"

Uryuu wet his parched lips and replied, "Uryuu Ishida and I have come for Inoue Orihime…you treacherous bastard."

Aizen smirked at the defiance of the hapless prisoner and reaching down he stroked his cheek as the Quincy glared bitterly up at him. "You were brave and displayed so much power. You deserve a reward for your efforts, Uryuu," Aizen said smoothly and almost seductively.

"Szayel…make him one with us. You know what you have been preparing for."

"With the utmost pleasure, Aizen-sama." The door closed gently signaling Aizen's departure and Uryuu was left at Szayel Aporro's mercy.

Agony ripped through Uryuu's slender frame as the electricity of Szayel's burning cero coursed through his muscles. _You have no talent._

"Your father is right, but we can make him eat his words Quincy! When we finish your metamorphosis you will became my greatest master piece!" Szayel urged passionately as he sent another gout of cero energy into his shivering body. _By the pride of a Quincy, I will not give in._

"You have no right to even bear that pride of your dying species. You let the second of the last Quincy, die because of your pathetic cowardice to act on that foolish pride of yours," the loathsome scientist hissed cruelly into Uryuu's ear.

The boy cringed, feeling the truth of his words cut deeply into his ailing heart. _This is my punishment Sensei and I will bear it for you._

"You do not even have a heart to keep such a foolish promise!" _HOW DOES HE KNOW WHAT I AM THINKING! _

"I know everything about you now. Your mind is a book that I've have read at my own leisure."

Aporro was breathing hard when he finally stopped cero immersion of specimen 101, Uryuu Ishida, the last Quincy. But the twisted researcher work was not done. Picking up a flat metallic box laying upon another lab table, he approached Uryuu and leaning close he gazed deeply into his captive's pale face with a reverence that struck Uryuu with an unbidden feeling of pure terror. The quiet click of the clasp releasing the mysterious box's contents only served to heighten the Quincy's feelings of impending doom. Szayel tenderly lifted the pearl handle of his silver scalpel and murmured "My favorite part…" Sending a sly smile towards his project he snapped his fingers. The pink haired espada's cretinous hench men entered the lab and rushed at the fallen Quincy.

"What…what are you doing?! STOP IT!!"

Sadly Uryuu's protests were uttered to no avail as they tore his beautifully tailored Quincy tunic in two, leaving his marble muscular chest exposed to Szayel's ravenous eyes. This scene seemed oddly familiar to Uryuu. Suddenly through the shining lenses of Szayel's spectacles, Uryuu saw himself splayed upon his back with his soft underbelly facing up, exactly like a frog about to undergo a dissection…

I love cliff hangers. "shiver." This part of the story scared even me! I hate dissections.


	5. Yin and Yang's Reflections

Here's double stuffed Oreos for everyone that have reviewed my story!! Sorry it took so long to update, but I'm on spring break now! Happy Reading and I do not own Bleach or its characters.

Chapter 5

An icy chill of fear seeped slowly in Uryuu's blood as Szayel lightly traced the humming scalpel blade upon his taunt chest muscles.

"It will be a slow and painful process, Quincy, but your power will increase by phenomenal proportions and with the extraction of your heart you will take your place among us!" Szayel murmured eagerly.

Golden eyes glowed with pleasure as they drank in the horror lurking in the dark depths of Uryuu's own eyes. Hopes and dreams of a rescue from the unavoidable agony that would take place, died in Uryuu and death was far more preferable than this. Gently, the cruel scientist pressed down on the upper right chest muscle and the first crimson droplets welled up to run across his specimen's naked skin. No cries of anguish were issued yet, but Szayel noticed the tension at the corners of his lips. Smirking, Aporro plunged and twisted the scalpel further into Uryuu and more blood rose to paint the pale canvas of his flesh. _No, no, no…I won't scream, and I won't give that sick bastard the satisfaction._ With a final and brutal twist of the blade though, all of Uryuu's resolve shattered.

A strangled scream of agony ripped out the Quincy's throat as Szayel began to carve the familiar circle of where the hollow's hole would reside.

"Aizen-sama has given me the greatest gift of all when he allowed me to proceed on with this project and I will not let this gift go to waste!" Szayel roared passionately over the shrieking boy. Uryuu's eyes rolled in to the back of his head…

_The gentle clinking of a chain aroused the sleeping child from his slumber. Rubbing his tired eyes, Uryuu lifted his head to see only a ghostly world of mist and shadows. The overwhelming sense of isolation suddenly made Uryuu feel inexplicably lonely. Carefully he sat up expecting gouts of pain, but instead only a gentle tugging of his chest. The tell-tale clink of a chain caused the Quincy to look down and see… "My soul chain," he whispered, for suddenly he sensed he was no longer alone. The chain pulled at him more urgently and Uryuu stood to follow its length which vanished into the mist. The desire to see what lay ahead clashed with his increasing feelings of foreboding. Suddenly Uryuu Ishida was yanked forward and slammed against something solid. The startled Quincy jerked his head from the wall's surface he had collided against only to discover his worst nightmare. Gasping, he backed away and he shut his eyes, but the warped image of his twin was burned into his vision. Lifeless blue eyes peered from a corpse white face which mirrored Uyruu's own features. The ugly brand of a black cross ran down the right side of its visage, matching two other burned etchings that twined around its muscular arms. A tattered white waistcoat with black pants adorned the imposing figure, but the waistcoat was open to proudly reveal its gaping hole through its solid chest. The sheer power and spiritual pressure emitting from this mutant image of Uryuu was enough to steal Uryuu's breath away. The espada beckoned to the Quincy child with one hand, while the other tugged the very end of Uryuu's chain. The power it offered sorely tempted Uryuu, but the terrible price that he would pay accepting it would be far too great. _

_"No…I don't want this…STAY AWAY FROM ME!" Uryuu shouted as his twin yanked his chain forcefully and reached out to take him into his chilling embrace. _

_"Uryuu…" __The arrancar froze at the sound of another presence within it's darken lair and Ryuken Ishida stepped into view of his struggling sons._

_"Ryu…Father," U__ryuu whispered hoarsely as he prowled slowly towards them. The hollow Uryuu relaxed and renewed its struggles to take in and become one with his victim. Ryuken's bow pulsed with the blue flames of a fully powered Quincy arrow aimed directly at the smirking espada. _

_"Uryuu your power, why are you not using it?" Surprised at his father's words, the boy reached deep inside himself to find his spiritual energy pulsing powerfully once again and moments later the Quincy pentacle beamed proudly in Uryuu's hand. The espada rose its hand to protect its eyes from the glare. Swiftly it tried to snatch Uryuu, confident that his father would not shoot even a copy image of himself, but alas, it did not know Ryuken's ruthless character had already done just that with the real the deal. An arrow went shrieking towards it and a second later its arm was blown off. The horrible stench of sizzling flesh plagued Uryuu's nose, but the Quincy espada kept coming towards him. Uryuu took careful aim and lost himself into the empty gaze of his adversary. He couldn't shoot. Not his very essence that he had unwillingly created. Ryuken turned towards his frozen son and seized him by the shoulders. _

_"Look at me…Uryuu," Ryuken commanded sternly. "You will die if you cannot fight." _

_Suddenly, Ryuken roughly pulled his son farther from the reaching creature and held him in a warm and protective hug. Uryuu's eyes widened in shock as his head pressed against his father's shoulder. _

_"I want you to live." Ryuken said softly as he glared over his shoulder at espada Uryuu. "Remember that…" and just as quickly he shoved his son away from him and lifted his bow. Uryuu had barely any time to shout before Ryuken shot him once more into his heart. The scar which was seared into him just a month ago sent raging waves of blue hell fire to burn away at the darkness. His twin screamed when the flames made contact and Uryuu watched with horrified pity as the espada he would never be burned in a searing inferno of Quincy spiritual purification…_

Ryuken Ishida sighed with exhaustion as he slowly stood up in the middle of a drawn out Quincy pentacle upon the secret training facility's floor. He had just used the Quincy bind and find spell to touch into his son's mind and soul the moment he felt it dimming into the shadows of death. The spell not only took all of Ryuken's power, but also would have never been possible had he not scarred Uryuu with the Quincy cross, thus binding and mingling their spiritual energies together. Shooting into Uryuu's heart a second time had purfied Uryuu's soul from falling prey to the inner espada which Szayel created._ You must have talent and the will to survive Uryuu.._

Szayel yelped as the handle of his precious scalpel melted in a puddle hot liquid metal upon his hand and upon the gushing wound he had cut into the unconscious Quincy. The entrance to his private lab was blasted violently into smithereens by two powerful attacks with twin yells of audible rage. "HOWL, ZAMBIMARU!" "GETSUGA TENSHO!" Renji and Ichigo charged through the busted door way just at the same moment when Uryuu's eyes fluttered open…

I love and hate cliff hangers, but if I didn't have them my story would not keep going! Keep on reviewing! ;)


	6. Death's Door Open or Closed ?

"I'm sorry I took so long to update

"I'm sorry I took so long to update. I needed time to revive my inspiration. Here are death-by chocolate cookies for all that have reviewed my story!

Chapter 6

"Uryuu!"

Renji and Ichigo both shouted at the same time as they raced towards the table of their fallen comrade with murder in their eyes. Szayel didn't flinch as the two zanpakutos came slashing down towards his unprotected head. Instead he smirked and snapped his fingers. An invisible barrier rose up around the scientist and his experiment taking the blows. Fiery sparks of gold flared from the blades and as the soul reapers prepared for another assault Aporro's henchmen sprang from the shadows and crevices within the lab to deal with the intruders. Szayel turned back to his experiment to find out how his most precious instrument was destroyed and suddenly froze. A pair of icy azure eyes captured Aporro's own as Uryuu held a white-hot star wreathed in blue flames of pulsing Quincy power and it was aimed directly at his torturer's heart.

"….I wish… that I could bestow the…same pain you…put me through," in a dark whisper that passed through the boy's bloodless lips. Szayel reached swiftly for his own blade, but it was far too late. The arrow left the Quincy's crimson stained fingers and it whistled as it sped towards its target. A horrible scream pierced and halted the battle between the soul reapers and Szayel's twisted arrancar. Uryuu spectacles gleamed eerily as he stood hunched over the dying espada. Dark red petals fell upon the white robes of Szayel and the scientist smiled sadistically up at his executioner.

"You… will…die…What a…pity."

The golden eyes closed and thus Szayel Aporro Granz, espada number 8, died at the hand of Uryuu Ishida. The henchmen ran off in different directions in a blind panic while Renji and Ichigo rushed towards Uryuu as he collapsed against the steel lab table. The barrier was gone.

"Uryuu! Uryuu!"

Ichigo cursed loudly as he caught sight of the gaping hole on Uryuu's chest. Renji's face became a frozen mask of horror and remorse. Ichigo swiftly tore his black robes sleeves and quickly applied the padded cloth upon the ugly wound.

"Stop bleeding dammit!" Ichigo snapped at the prone form of his friend.

"I thought you were gonna kick my ass to show how superior Quinces are to Soul Reapers!"

Uryuu's eyes slowly opened and a gentle smile slowly graced his war torn face.

"I …am broken and twisted… beyond repair," he said quietly. "I can't…Ichigo. I am… going to…" at this moment Uryuu's voice broke, but he forced himself to say it.

"Die."

Renji and Ichigo grasped his hands tightly as though they would yank him away from death's grasp. Uryuu coughed raggedly as Renji leaned over him.

"Please forgive me…" whispered Renji brokenly.

"No, Abari. This was… my choice. There…is...nothing…to…for-"

A tremor shook Uryuu's frail body as he was retching blackish red bile from his burning throat. Ichigo lifted his head towards the door and suddenly remembering her healing abilities yelled "NEL! HELP US! NNNEEELLL!"

The arrancar child swiftly appeared in the doorway and bounded into the lab.

"Itsygo…wha…"

Nel's voice trailed off as she took in the horrendous condition of Uryuu with widening eyes. Ichigo gestured towards the blood sodden rags pressed against the wound.

"Help him Nel! Please hurry!" he begged once more as he lifted the rags away.

Renji cradled Uryuu's head on his lap as Nel sucked in a deep breath before letting a thick wad of clear saliva drip down on the Quincy's chest. The spit hissed and bubbled venomously around the gash. Uryuu's eyes flew open and began screaming uncontrollably. Renji grasped Uryuu in a headlock while Ichigo restrained his legs as he thrashed convulsively. From the darkness images of Souken, Ichigo, Inoue, Ryuken, Chad, Rukia and Renji assailed Uryuu's senses as the salvia burned white hot upon his skin. The will to survive began to dwindle as the pain of a failure and a weakling surged to claim him. _I can't protect you all anymore. I am useless you fools! Go and save Inoue and yourselves! Let me go…_

"Let me DIE!" Uryuu sobbed as the last of his energy left him and more pain washed over him as Renji carefully lifted him in a fireman's carry and Ichigo setting Nel on his back

"Uryuu…" a clear and cold voice rang out as he sank into the soft velvet shadows of unconsciousness.

Black locks of hair flew as Byakuya ran with the speed of a bird diving down to earth to snatch its prey. The difference was that he was racing to find the one person rumored to possess the power to steal Rukia from the cruel jaws of death. He almost was there now…. Brother and sister entered the vast throne room vanishing and reappearing with great leaping bounds on Byakuya part when…

"Well I didn't expect you here…Kuchiki-sama," a sibilant voice oozed in his sharp ears. Byakuya halted as the ever smirking Gin slinked between him and his intended path.

"I have no time to deal with traitors' ex-captain Ichimaru…get out of my way."

"Oh and what if I do not…" Gin uttered almost playfully, cocking an arching eye brow. His hand however, slowly slithered down to the hilt of his zanpakuto. Swiftly the dark haired man vanished only to appear a split second later with the blade crashing down upon Gin's blade with the force of an ocean wave.

"Then you must die the acquitted death of a traitor…" The two Titians of the soul society clashed violently once more, metal screeched and murderous intent burned in flaming steel eyes.

"Your sister looks pretty beat up," Gin inquired cheerfully over the din of their duel. Rukia's corpse lay tucked carefully behind one of the pillars of the throne room. "Haven't you been taking care of her?" Byakuya merely flashed stepped a short distant before issuing…

"Scatter Senbonzakura."

The glowing blades soared in beautiful disarray before surging towards Gin with deadly aim, but Gin grinned and hurled himself over the raging flood of cherry blossoms and called " Strike Shinso!" Shinso swooped down to strike the bladeless Byakuya…Senbonzakura's petals came hurling at Gin's unprotected back…

"NO!!" a piercing cry cut through the battle and suddenly time stood still….


End file.
